…or, “O be still, my beating heart”.
As Longtime Readers know full well, I have always been a YUGE fan of Alfa Romeo cars despite never having owned one. Pound for pound, I think that Alfa Romeo have made some of the world’s most beautiful cars over their long and storied history. Here are just a few, to illustrate my point:
1935 Tipo 8C 2900B
1936 8C 2300 Le Mans Tourer
1938 8C 2900B Mile Miglia
1954 1900 C Super Sport Touring
1959 Giulietta Spider Veloce
1965 Giulia Super Sport 1965
1966 2600 Spider
1966 Giulia Super
(quite possibly my favorite “small family saloon car” of all time)
1967 33 Stradale
1967 Spider Duetto
1970 Junior Zagato
1970 GTV Veloce
…and I think you get my drift.
Now, as any fule kno, Alfa Romeo have also been, in the memorable words of James May, “purveyors of disappointment for decades”, in that they are and always have been hopelessly unreliable. That sweet howl of the 1600cc engine and silky gear change are inevitably followed by a clutch failing after only 2,000 miles, or a rearview mirror falling off on the way home from the showroom, or any number of other ailments which manufacturers like Honda managed to address long ago.
This has not deterred the “Alfisti”, that devoted band of fools followers of the brand who despite all hurdles, have an abiding love of anything Alfa Romeo.
For an Alfisto wannabe like me, therefore, the abiding thought is: if only Alfa could do actual engineering production of their cars (instead of just matchless design and styling), would they not be a brand to be reckoned with in the car market?
Well, someone has set out to do just that, only in the Alfa aftermarket. Take a few minutes to see how Alfaholics manage to do it.
You can just also watch the Throttle House nerds drive one (as well as a Porsche 911K [sic] ).
My final thought: if I won a really big lottery, I’d get these maniacs to work their magic on a 1971 Montreal.
The thought of that glorious 2.6-liter engine getting up to 11,000rpm…
Now maybe you’ll understand the OBSMBH title.
My car has just had a MOT & service that is sufficiently expensive that I’m looking at replacing it. My eye is drawn to the 1936 8C 2300 Le Mans Tourer but given that I have nowhere to keep it safe I think I’m going to settle for something like a Fiat 500 instead.
The LeMans Tourer is probably $2-3 million, but Kim would likely let you have a lightly used Fiat Model Sputum for about a $100K.
(runs for bunker)
Q, let me know. Although it is LHD, so I’d knock $20k off the price, just for you.
With my fat and decrepitude, I’d need two of those little things – one for each foot. ;<D
The 1970 GTV Veloce has always been my favorite.
In the 70’s I had a friend ( Dave Belden ) who campaigned an Alfa GTV in the SCCA B Sedan Class. It was always immaculacy prepared and well driven, normally always winning his class, or at least leading until something broke. His secret to enable this level of results? He brought a matched pair of cars to each event. They were absolutely identical. He was a true believer in the ” two is one ” rule.
To me, ALL Italian cars are “Fix It Again, Tony.”
The Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio. The car that broke Car and Driver’s collective heart: https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a23145269/alfa-romeo-giulia-quadrifoglio-reliability-update/
Dad had a ragged out Veloce when he did a 5 month TDY in Germany. Before he left Germany he had rebuilt the brakes, suspension, steering, and engine. He left the car there and would get a month long TDY every year until they forced him to retire.
Noting that the youngest of your examples is over 50 years old.
My brother had a v6 Gtv back in the day. It was about five years old when he bought it. It was beautiful and just fantastic to drive.
It cost him a fortune to keep on the road of course.
He was very lucky not to be in it when a drunk driver in a f150 ran into the back of it when parked on the side of the road. Anyone in that car that day would have been toast – the Alfa was structurally very weak. Not rusty. Well, not just rusty.